Hosts Drag Queens and Divas on Pink Flight Party to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (January 16, 2008) - Kathy Griffin will unleash her D-List diva for one of the gay community's most celebratory A-List events. Air New Zealand announced today that Emmy-award winner Kathy Griffin will be the official "Hostess" for the airline's first North American "Pink Flight," which is flying in celebration to the 2008 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Departing on a Boeing 777 from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on February 26, 2008, Griffin will perform a stand-up act and mingle with drag queens and partygoers during the 14-hour-flight that will be filmed as part of Bravo's hit-show, "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List."

"We knew that this party needed a hostess befitting of the eclectic and diverse group we are inviting on board for this celebration, and who better than Kathy Griffin?" asked Roger Poulton, Air New Zealand's vice president - the Americas. "Her sense of humor strikes the right chord for the Pink Flight's spirit, and we anticipate a great show."

Kathy will mingle with Pink passengers at the SFO gate before officially greeting them on board. Pink Flight flyers will be treated to Kathy's stand-up comedy in the air, as well as more informal interactions between Kathy and the infamous drag queens from down under lead by Buckwheat, who will also be performing on the flight.

"The passengers can expect a bawdy performance from me," said Kathy Griffin.

Glamorous gays (and any other fun-loving friends) are invited to purchase tickets. Seats are still available starting from $1198 for a whole lot of fun. As part of the flight, passengers are invited to a pre-flight party at the gate, the party on board and a partier greeting in Sydney. Pink Passengers are encouraged to show up at the airport ready to party.

In addition to Kathy's performance, the Pink Flight will boast a full program of entertainment - such as live performances from drag queens, on-board music, contests and screenings of classic gay-themed films on Air New Zealand's digital in-flight entertainment system (IFE). Because it is an overnight flight, there will also be a period of scheduled "Beauty Sleep." Additionally, passengers will enjoy the excellent cuisine Air New Zealand is known for with a Pink Twist, Pink cocktails, goodie bags and a "Party Party Wake-Up" before landing.

For more information about Air New Zealand's Pink Flight, or to purchase a ticket, visit www.airnewzealand.com/pinkflight.

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand offers more direct flights to the South Pacific than any other airline, including non-stop flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Vancouver to New Zealand, as well as Los Angeles non-stop to Fiji, the Cook Islands and Samoa. Other popular destinations include Australia, China, Japan and Tonga. In addition to flying non-stop Los Angeles-London, Air New Zealand's newest route, between London and Hong Kong, now allows customers to fly round-the-world on one airline. Consistently rated among the world's best international airlines, Air New Zealand's most recent accolades include recognition by the Condé Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards, the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards and Business Traveler Magazine. United Mileage Plus, US Airways Dividend Miles and Air Canada's Aeroplan members earn and redeem mileage on select flights. Flight and vacation essentials can be booked on AirNewZealand.com. Flight and vacation bookings can also be made by calling 1-800-262-1234 in the USA and 1-800-663-5494 in Canada.

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NOTE: The content of all Air New Zealand media releases are accurate at the time of issue, as stated at the top of each release. For updates on any changes, please contact Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award, Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Aegean Airlines, Air India, Brussels Airlines and TAM have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 19,500 daily flights to 1,071 airports in 171 countries.